Young Adult Female Sexuality Development

Young Adult Female Sexuality Development: Examination of Young Adult Literature as Sexual Media Source

Sidney Sivill

Southeast Community College

Abstract

Young Adult Literature (YAL) holds potential to fill in the emotional gap in sexual education left between the charts in schools and objectification in media because of young adult readers’ capability to connect to literature on an emotional level. YAL is a media source commonly overlooked when examining and analyzing sexual content of media. YAL is a media source that many young adults find themselves exposed to along with other various forms of media. Female development of sexuality is increasingly important to analyze due to their objectification in media. Three female protagonists of contemporary young adult fantasy literature are analyzed: Bella (Meyer, 2005), Tiger Lily (Anderson, 2012), and Katsa (Cashore, 2008). Significance of characters’ roles and development as females examined.

Introduction

            Media in the United States is saturated with sexual content. Much research has been conducted on Young Adults who are constantly bombarded with portrayals of sex and sexuality through music, movies, television, and the internet. A source of media not commonly considered during such research endeavors is the compelling branch of media commonly consumed by Young Adults, currently referred to as Young Adult Literature (YAL). Because of the emotional gap left between young adults’ sex education and the highly sexualized content of mass media, the development of protagonists’ sexuality in YAL holds significance to the identity development of young adults. It is particularly important to examine portrayals of female sexuality in media in a culture so focused on beauty and gender roles. YAL is an often-overlooked source of media that portrays female sexuality in many different ways and has the potential to teach young adults about female roles.

Sex and the Media

            Literature is not often discussed as a form of media where research is concerned. Such oversight does not detract from the significance YAL has for its consumers, though. Many of the concepts applied to media such as movies and television, and especially internet sources, apply to YAL.

Consumption

            Young adults seemingly flock to what many adults view as “unsavory” sources of sexual information. Many homes have constant connection to the internet and receive hundreds of cable channels. Lightly censored radio stations blare from the speakers of many teen hangouts. In general, an American household consumes six to seven hours of television, containing seventy to ninety commercials a day (Shelov & Bar-on, 1995). Even with today’s standard of strict parental controls, most young adults frequently come across some form of media containing sexual references.

Young adults seek out media diets that fit their specific emotional needs and pick television shows that nurture good moods and battle against bad moods (Vandenbosch & Eggermont, 2011). When this good mood media contains stereotypical sexual roles, young adults’ development of sexual identity and ideals may be negatively impacted (Vandenbosch & Eggermont, 2011). Not all young adults consume sexuality portrayed in media mindlessly. Some young adults specifically seek out sexual media in attempt to construct their personal sexual identities (Schooler, Tolman, Sorsoli, & Kim, 2009). Any ideas or concepts portrayed in media are open to interpretation, though. Young adults interpret what they see or hear based on their values, gender, experiences, race, ethnicity, and religious views (Keller & Brown, 2002). Young adults decide what type of media they consume and how media is processed.

While young adults may not always purposely turn toward media for information about sex, they are still learning about “romantic” interactions from television, music, and the internet. Young adults spend an immense amount time immersed in media, but very few claim to have learned about sexual responsibility from such sources (Keller & Brown, 2002). Though young adults do not acknowledge absorbing information on sexuality from media, there is no doubt that many of America’s current social ideals are spread to the population through media. In October of 2004, FOX network was fined $1.2 million for a scene in which “party-goers licked whipped cream from strippers’ bodies in a sexually suggestive manner,” (Schooler, Tolman, Sorsoli, & Kim, 2009). Allowing women to be objectified in such a manner on national television is a far cry from representing sexuality in a responsible manner. Portrayals of female objectification saturate the media.

Significance to Sexual Education

Sex talks provided by parents and teachers are often pegged as awkward and cold. Young adults are shown maps of the reproductive organs and told to memorize the many components of male and female genitalia. Young adults are then given a sheet of paper listing contraceptive options on one side and a chart about STIs (sexually transmitted infections) on the other. At the conclusion of such classes, a few adolescents are simply told to not have sex until they are forty years old. Many young adults do not even get the chance to hear about the “juicy” parts. Their wholesome and loving parents skip all the nonsense and incessantly preach chastity. Though adults preach of sexual action versus sexual inaction, sexual interaction is not discussed by the very people these adolescents are expected to turn to for guidance. Once the blushing and hushed giggling in health class is over, kids turn to their comfort zones. They browse the internet, chat with their peers, and absorb the plotlines of their favorite soaps and reality television shows.

Application to YAL

            Young adults theoretically absorb literature in the same way they do other forms of media. YAL in particular deals with subjects closely tied to sexual development. Development of identity is a theme commonly found in most YAL (Attebery, 1987). Just as in other forms of media, the topic of sexuality is relatively new to literature aimed toward young adults. It is a theme that has matured from basic warnings against sexual acts into an emotionally involved development of identity (Cart, 2010).

            As with other forms of media, young adults consume YAL that reflects their interests and emotional needs. The difference between usual forms of media and YAL is the method in which young adult consumers are able to connect to the consumed material. Protagonists in YAL are often developed in a manner in which young adults can connect to them on an emotional level. A character’s innermost thoughts are often literally spelled out, rather than vaguely visually portrayed and left to interpretation. There are endless numbers of themes to draw in young adult readers. As a theme in YAL, sexuality can be portrayed with emotional depth and perspective.

            Therein lies the importance of sexuality in YAL. YAL is a form of media that young adults are capable of connecting to on a much deeper level than other forms of media. The way sexuality is portrayed becomes a responsibility on the author’s part to depict in a realistic and non-sexist manner. Though masculinity is certainly a subject worth examining, the definition of masculinity hinges on how female sexuality and identity are depicted. Literature of merit must locate the fine line between cultural and ethical accuracy. Women are objectified in American media, developing a culture of sexualized women. On the other hand, women have become more than just objects in society. Women are flooding educational institutions and comprise a large part of the workforce. It is important in the face of whipped-cream doused strippers for young adult females to be shown they are comprised of more than just their bodies. Young girls must understand that their existence is not defined by the males in their lives.

Literature Analysis

            YAL provides an outlet for young adults to connect to characters and situations. There is a high level of emotional appeal in literature. The portrayal of sex and sexuality are important aspects of YAL, especially in our sex-saturated media-driven American culture. It is especially important to analyze female roles in YAL due to the highly biased and sexualized portrayals of women in commonly consumed forms of media.

            Though much of my research pertains to all YAL in general, I have attempted to focus on the female protagonists’ roles in young adult fantasy. Fantasy subgenre was chosen due to the prevalence of male hero roles in young adult fantasy. Another important deciding factor for young adult fantasy subgenre was the necessity to provide real characters. Because fantasy itself is a difficult genre to connect to, the realness of the characters’ emotions is of great importance (Stephens, 2013). In order for readers to feel connected to magical realms or abilities, there must be a factor with which they can identify with.

Female protagonists in Twilight by Stephenie Meyer, Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson, and Graceling by Kristin Cashore are examined and applied to critical literary analysis. These works of young adult fantasy were chosen based on the presence of female protagonists and the differences in how their development is portrayed. Three female development roles have been fabricated for the purposes of this report: The mother/wife role, the wildchild role, and the Iceberg role. Role classification system is a summarization of character development highlights used for the purposes of this report and may not be applicable to all female protagonists. Knowledge of young adult fantasy gathered over years of reading young adult fantasy literature incorporated.

Mother/Wife Role

            A female role commonly portrayed in young adult fantasy literature is the mother/wife role. This role is defined by the protagonist’s identity development and personal fulfillment relying upon the provision of caregiving. Protagonist generally begins in a state of low self-esteem during childhood. Throughout the novel, the mother/wife character slowly develops an identity and self-esteem through others by sacrificing and caregiving. Usually, this process is achieved through an attempt to emotionally heal or physically care for a love interest. Occasionally the young female protagonist will achieve this role by additionally or alternatively taking on the responsibility of fostering a younger child. By caring and sacrificing for others, the protagonist finds self-worth.

            The sexual role of a mother/wife character tends to be on the submissive or passive side. Male counterpart defines the mother/wife character’s existence, which includes her sexual roles. She is wanted by the male because she is beautiful, kind, and giving. Giving, by nature, leads others to take. Thus the mother/wife character’s role in turn defines her male counterpart’s masculinity.

            The greatest example of the mother/wife character role is Bella Swan in Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series. Bella’s story begins as she is transferring from one broken family home to another. Throughout the series, Bella battles deeply seeded insecurities. These insecurities are only ever temporarily overcome through sacrifices made to care for her beloved, Edward Cullen. In the final book, Bella finally finds fulfillment only after the physical and emotional transformation brought about by marriage and becoming a mother.

            Anna Silver points out that Twilight is abstinence themed, though the lack of sex before marriage is entirely dictated by Edward and his urge to protect Bella (Silver, Twilight is not Good for Maidens: Gender, Sexuality, and the family in Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Series, 2010). Remaining chaste is an important duty for the mother/wife character. It proves she is worthy of her role, untainted by the sins of sex.  

Wildchild Role

            Usually younger, the wildchild female protagonist does not seem to rely upon love. Such characters are usually portrayed as tough and relatively unemotional. Wildchild characters do not have grand love affairs. When a love interest is introduced, the focus of the relationship is adventure and wild abandon. The relationship develops as more of an innate friendship or kinship because the pair often shares the same wild streak. Such a relationship often portrays a level of equality and respect between the wildchild and her beloved. Carefree and wild exterior is usually a façade covering a complex and emotional individual.

            On the surface, the wildchild may seem cold and uncaring, but are often more emotionally complex than mother/wife protagonists. The hardness generally stems from some form of past abuse or ostracism. Such emotional complexities slowly emerge throughout the storyline, becoming more obvious as the character is developed. Sexuality of a wildchild is a slow melting of a hard shell, sometimes dropping off before the sexual role is fully realized. Such characters’ sexual identity development may be catalyzed by a male love interest. Wild child characters tend to hold agency over their developing sexualities, though. Due to their tendency toward inner emotional turmoil, sexual identity grows and moves with their personal internal battles.

            Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson provides a sample of such a wildchild. Tiger Lily is portrayed as hard and unwelcoming to both friendship and emotion. This cold shell was presumably instigated by the abuse of her childhood peers and suspicious nature of her community. As a wildchild, Tiger Lily is curious and adventurous. She is oblivious to the loving regard of her best friend. Though she pretends it does not exist, she experiences body image issues and compares herself to peers more physically developed than herself. Tiger Lily is also shamed by comparisons made by the lost boys to the memories of far more feminine English girls.

            Tiger Lily’s sexual development coincides with her meeting and developing a relationship with Peter Pan. Their relationship is one of adventure and exploration, never surpassing kissing and touching. Tiger Lily’s sexual development is portrayed on an emotional level. She becomes more conscious of herself both physically and emotionally. By the end of her story, Tiger Lily realizes the complexities of love and relationships through loss, duty of marriage, and friendship. Though the experiences were external in nature, Tiger Lily relied on her perceptions and internal ideas to draw her own conclusions on life and love.

Iceberg Role

            Final role to be examined is perhaps a more sexualized combination of the mother/wife and wildchild roles. The iceberg is portrayed as strong and unneeding. Self-sufficient, this character is portrayed as the strongest of the three categories. Iceberg characters are shown as needing the love of another to complete them partway through their personal sagas. Female icebergs tend to unknowingly drift into the realm of love, often temporarily mourning their perceived loss of individuality. Such characters’ sexuality is typically defined quickly by a single moment or quick succession of events. Icebergs transform from relatively androgynous, sexless beings to fulfilled sexual beings in a matter of chapters. Speedy sexual development of Iceberg female protagonists is at least slightly explicit in nature. The heat of love and desire melts the iceberg into a softer, and perhaps more relatable, character.

            Katsa of Kristin Cashore’s Graceling could be considered an iceberg female protagonist. Katsa views herself as a hardened tool to be used only as a weapon. Though she has friends, romantic love is a laughable concept to the icy girl. She has decided against ever having children and assumes a loveless future.

            Not far into Katsa’s tale, she becomes enchanted by a charming, though not entirely clichéd, prince named Po. She eventually journeys away from her home with Po after being ostracized from the kingdom by her uncle, the king. Shortly into their journey, they find love for one another and rather quickly delve into the physical aspects of a young adult relationship. Of the three novels examined, Graceling is the only literature in which a character uses a form of birth control. Though Katsa continues to be portrayed as a strong female, it is not until after she experiences love from a male that she feels fulfilled and accepts herself. This self-acceptance occurs within one chapter of losing her virginity to Prince Po.

            Further into the novel, Katsa must leave Prince Po behind and care for a small child in dangerous terrain. During this time, she continues to develop her identity by becoming a mother type protector. Once again, Katsa must rely on an external condition to further develop her identity and sense of self-worth. It takes both a lover and a child to completely melt the iceberg.

Discussion

            Three female protagonist roles were chosen to categorize sexuality development of characters in young adult fantasy. The mother/wife is family-oriented and practices abstinence. Wildchild develops sexual identity through kinship, allowing her to heal emotionally and further develop a sense of identity. Finally, the iceberg develops her sexual identity through realization that self-reliance is not entirely fulfilling. Similar female fantasy literature roles are defined by Deirdre Baker in relation to male hero counterparts: Mother, wife, seducer, beloved, and victim or damsel in distress (Baker, 2006). These roles were defined for female accessories to male heroes, though. Baker (2006)claims, “…fantasy, epic fantasy above all, has been the land of the male hero,” and further explains that female roles in fantasy literature are commonly reduced to that of a sidekick.

Sidekickery

            Bella’s character does seem to act as a sidekick whenever there is trouble. Even Tiger Lily tags along as Peter’s sidekick on an adventure, though it is not a role she reverts to with any frequency. Katsa remains the heroine protagonist throughout Graceling, frequently being presented as equal to, even greater than, Prince Po. Whether or not the female protagonist assumes the role of a sidekick may be reflective of her sexual development. It seems that the more a female character reverts to the sidekick role, the more passive her sexuality is.

            Passive sidekicks allow their male counterpart to dictate the physical nature of sexuality development. Edward is the ruling force behind Bella’s abstinence in Twilight (Silver, Twilight is not Good for Maidens: Gender, Sexuality, and the family in Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Series, 2010). Bella has placed her sexual development into the hands of her beloved, making her a passive participant in her own sexual identity development.

Tiger Lily and Peter’s relationship remains modest. Because friendship is the main force behind their relationship, they remain on equal grounds. Tiger Lily develops a sense of being female because of the developing relationship, but remains relatively indifferent to any sexual aspects. She is indifferent to much of her sexual development, other than bodily changes she notices in other girls, in the face of her emotional development.

Graceling’s Katsa is more active in her own sexual identity development. Prince Po causes her to realize there is potential for her to develop a sexual identity, but she makes her own decisions. She often goes off on her own to consider who she is in relation to Po. Katsa is even conscious enough of her own goals and needs to use a form of birth control. Making such difficult decisions without pushy guidance from Po makes Katsa an active participant to her own sexual identity.

Body Image

            Much of sexual identity development has to do with emotional changes. Body image also plays an important role in YAL, though (Younger, 2003). Young adults are constantly bombarded with images of heavily made-up and altered women. One only needs to log in to Facebook or turn on the television to view the plethora of flawless models and actresses. Some young adult fantasy female protagonists even dress in a masculine manner to be able to enter the male realm where they are able to prove themselves (Baker, 2006).

            Bella is portrayed as klutzy and insecure (Silver, Twilight is not Good for Maidens: Gender, Sexuality, and the family in Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Series, 2010). She dresses herself rather simply in generic teenage garb. In Twilight, Bella describes herself as what could be assumed to be an average teenage girl. She is thin and pale, which is not exactly an accepted American average. The tone she uses to describe herself, “physically, I’d never fit in anywhere,” (p. 10)… is self-condescending. Bella, the motherly and passive sidekick protagonist, has a slew of physical insecurities. Many young women are familiar with such deep insecurities. Bella does not resolve her physical insecurities in a realistic manner, though. It takes a magical transformation for her to feel comfortable in her already near-perfect appearance.

            Wild Tiger Lily is not quite as insecure in her own body. Her body is perfectly matched to her love of tromping through the forest and swimming. Tiger Lily is strong and capable. She is only fifteen and not very far into her physical development, though. Tiger Lily’s physical insecurities are highlighted when the lost boys comment on her unfeminine differences. “A blush ran across Tiger Lily’s face, though she kept her gaze even. She thought of the photos of the English ladies she’d seen, smooth and white, and for a moment, it made her sad,” (p.84). This is an accurate portrayal of many young women’s physical insecurities. Tiger Lily’s body image insecurities could match that of any average young adult female.

            Katsa in Graceling is an anomaly. She seems to have no physical insecurities other than wishing she were less noticeable. She begins with long dark hair that she longs to cut off, and eventually does to make it easier to manage during her travels. Other than her hair, eyes, and general fitness level, the reader is left to assume much of Katsa’s physicality. She is unconcerned with her appearance and finds it silly when her handmaid attempts to persuade her to show off her looks to obtain a suitor. Katsa the iceberg is strong and logical, which is commonly considered a male trait in fantasy literature (Attebery, 1987). This is not an accurate portrayal of contemporary young adult females, though it has potential to set a good example.

Motivations

            In order to develop realistic young adult characters, they must have motivation behind their actions and development. Emotional realness of characters is defined by their problems, faults, and virtues (Stephens, 2013). Problems, faults and virtues are all root motivations behind protagonists’ development. McKinley provides more specific examples of young adult female protagonists’ sexual motivations. Only one of the protagonists examined has sex before the halfway point in her story. Bella and Tiger Lily do not have sex until near the end of their sagas, and Tiger Lily’s is only assumed by a brief description of her having entered motherhood. Sexual motivations can be applied to the way in which the young women’s relationships and internal sexual identity develop, though. The sexual motivations found in YAL have been summed up to self-esteem, feeling alive or filling a void, asserting power or reinforcing identity, fear of losing a connection, and love (McKinley, 2011).

            Bella’s motivation seems to stem from quite a few places. Bella not only loves Edward, but has grown attached to his family (Silver, Twilight is not Good for Maidens: Gender, Sexuality, and the family in Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Series, 2010). Sex, especially used as a procreational tool, could be viewed as a method to create a permanent connection to a family she is otherwise unbound to. Bella also requires Edward’s romantic regard to boost her self-esteem. Bella’s identity as Edward’s wife, and her future identity as a mother, is reinforced by sexual contact.

            Tiger Lily uses Peter Pan’s regard as a boost for her strangled self-esteem. She perhaps even uses romantic correspondence to fill a void created by her stigmatized social status in her community. Tiger Lily is also motivated by love, though some aspects of her sexual identity are developed through a sense of duty to ritual.

            Katsa’s motivations stem from love, the filling of a void, and self-esteem. In Katsa’s case, love and the filling of a void seem to be intertwined. Her character must recognize and accept romantic love in order for her to be able to acknowledge a void had even existed. Katsa is also not able to recognize her own worth until it is shown to her by Prince Po. Her emotional self-esteem was dependent upon romantic interaction, though not quite a motivator to seek it.

            Young adults can empathize with these motivations. Therefore, it can be inferred that all three characters’ sexual identity development can be considered realistically portrayed. Though readers may have difficulty connecting to certain situations in fantasy literature, the emotional development of the characters is familiar to young adult readers (Stephens, 2013).

Conclusion

            Young adults are often left with a large gap in their sexual education. In the midst of nearly constant bombardment of commonly sexualized mass media, they are shown anatomical diagrams and politely asked not to have sex. This can leave young adults parched for the emotional content necessary to make relevant connections to their own lives and relationships. YAL holds a great potential to fill in the emotional gap left by dry education and sexualized media because of the depth in which readers can connect to the characters and situations.

            Female sexuality is an increasingly skewed concept in media. Women are commonly objectified, which may have a detrimental effect on young adults’ perception of both femininity and masculinity. By analyzing three young adult fantasy novels, I have discovered that YAL develops sexuality in a variety of ways. Some methods, such as Twilight’s male-defined passive role, may not be the best portrayal. All three novels included attributes that created a realistic approach to sexuality development, though. Whether young adults choose to remain chaste, run wild, or develop agency, YAL provides a realistic emotional perspective that readers are able to connect to.

References

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